Rating: Summary: I don't even LIKE cyber-punk! Review: But I loved this book! I had read some of Melissa's work before and thought she was okay. This book really shows off her talent and her true love (computers). I have also read 'Night Sky Mine' since and am now definitely hooked on her. Quirky, complex and insightful.
Rating: Summary: Great Cyberpunk! Review: I can only think of one word to describe this book: sexy! The technology is sexy and seductive as are the main characters, Trouble and Cerise. Try to get a copy of this even if it is out-of-print. It's worth it.
Rating: Summary: One Very Tasty Story Review: I have been reading Melissa Scott for years and I never saw anything like this before. It fairly outshines the very most awesome of her works, I was blown away. Could not put it down, can't believe it is the same writer as "Dreamships" (which is a great book in it's own right) but "Trouble and Her Friends" - well, it is inventive and delicious. I want more!
Rating: Summary: didn't catch my interest Review: I love sci fi with strong active women, realistic women though, women I can relate, and men I can relate to. However, this book I could not relate too. Perhaps I'm not into computers enough, perhaps the first chapter where "her friends" (?are they?) talk about her not being there and about new laws was just too boring, or perhaps the book is too much into telling me what is going on in the realworld compared to showing me what is going on in cyberspace. Whatever it was, this book did not catch my interest, did not make me want to keep reading. But I did read it because it was a gift. If you like cyberpunk or computers please strong women and men, then you might get more out of this book than I did.
Rating: Summary: didn't catch my interest Review: I love sci fi with strong active women, realistic women though, women I can relate, and men I can relate to. However, this book I could not relate too. Perhaps I'm not into computers enough, perhaps the first chapter where "her friends" (?are they?) talk about her not being there and about new laws was just too boring, or perhaps the book is too much into telling me what is going on in the realworld compared to showing me what is going on in cyberspace. Whatever it was, this book did not catch my interest, did not make me want to keep reading. But I did read it because it was a gift. If you like cyberpunk or computers please strong women and men, then you might get more out of this book than I did.
Rating: Summary: Thriller in cyberspace Review: In the not-so-distant future, India Carless, known as Trouble, has left the shadowy world of cyberspace after the American government cracks down on netwalkers like her. A few years later, a new hacker pops up using the name 'Trouble' and begins creating havoc. The original Trouble comes back to clear her name and catch this new upstart, and she reconnects with old friends to do so, including Cerise, the woman she walked out on. Trouble finds a changed cyberworld hiding more dangers than she anticipated. For me the hard sci fi aspects were a bit dry, but Scott compellingly addressed various social issues and created intriguing characters ... that compelled me to continue. And I do agree that it went on too long and the ending is a bit disappointing, but overall I did enjoy the book. I like Melissa Scott's approach, so I'll probably read more by her.
Rating: Summary: Intriguing but unsatisfying and somewhat tedious Review: Like Trouble, I finished this book wholly unsatisfied. The denouement left several plot points completely unresolved and screams sequel. Although Scott's characters engage the attention, her endless descriptions of netwalking become quite monotonous. Because the adversaries are not full characters but constructs, when Cerise and Trouble finally vanquish them, it's just not very interesting. This book put me to sleep several times!
Rating: Summary: One of the Best of Cyberpunk Review: Melissa Scott has written many of the best visualizations of possible computer futures. "Trouble and Her Friends" is one of her best, and a great introduction to the author. It is well written, and takes you places you might not have expected to go. Ms. Scott imagines a believable and exiting computer world that will keep you reading. It stands as one of the best books of the genre.
Rating: Summary: One of the Best of Cyberpunk Review: Melissa Scott has written many of the best visualizations of possible computer futures. "Trouble and Her Friends" is one of her best, and a great introduction to the author. It is well written, and takes you places you might not have expected to go. Ms. Scott imagines a believable and exiting computer world that will keep you reading. It stands as one of the best books of the genre.
Rating: Summary: Good Cyberpunk - BUT- Way too long Review: Scott has written an interesting, but typical mainstream book. I'm not sure it rates all the accolades it seems to draw. I've been a devotee of cyberpunk, sci-fi, and hard edged writing for along time. Net writing needs to be fast, tight, and with a continuous edge to it. This isn't. There are some great sections in this book: they're hard, and fast, and flowing, with great potential for visualization. Yet they appear to be bound together with afterthought. It reads as if Scott wrote several strong scenes and then loosely tied them together. I found myself looking ahead of my place on more than one occasion, especially with the repetative net node descriptions, and was able to loose neither plot nor character development. So I rate this fair. It's a good read but nothing special. My only other comment is a question. Are we being set up, during the denouement, for the return of Trouble? As a shorter story I hope so.
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